Arsene Wenger has revealed he will be forced into the January transfer market after learning the full extent of Robin van Persie's injury and blasted the Dutch Football Federation over their handling of the affair.
The Gunners striker was originally told by Dutch medical staff that he would not require surgery on ankle ligament damage sustained during Holland's friendly against Italy in mid November and would be ruled out for only six weeks.
But last weekend it emerged Van Persie would require an operation and will be sidelined for closer to five months. He was badly missed in the weekend defeat by Chelsea and with Nicklas Bendtner having had a groin operation, Eduardo will have to play up front on his own against Manchester City in tonight's Carling Cup quarter-final at Eastlands.
Wenger spent the summer trying to prise Moroccan International Marouane Chamakh from Bordeaux and may have to make another attempt after admitting he will have to revise his plans amid accusations the Dutch officials "did not tell the truth" over the extent of Van Persie's injury.
Wenger said: "I didn't feel we needed to buy anybody but we will be in the market, that is for sure, but will only make a decision if it suits us."
He added: "We have not been told the truth by the Dutch Football Federation, which is a real shame because if we had known the full extent of the injury we would not have sent him for [the horse placenta] treatment.
"If they had not made a mistake in his diagnosis he would not have gone to Serbia to get that kind of treatment so there's a lot for us to cry about but unfortunately again we have to deal with the situation and it's a real shame.
"In such an important season for us we lose the players in friendlies on tackles like that and it is really difficult to accept."
Wenger hinted that Arsenal could protest to FIFA over the handling of their players after Abou Diaby also picked up a calf injury while on international duty with France.
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"We will not accept that situation to go on like that," he said. "A player like Diaby goes away and is injured and you cannot even get him back because they decided to keep him. It is disrespectful to the clubs. The players come back injured, are not properly treated and it is not acceptable."
